DOT 215-04 December 27, 2004 Contact: Sarah Echols Tel.: (202) 366-4570
Secretary Mineta Launches Holiday Air Travel Disruption Investigation
U.S. Transportation Secretary Norman Y. Mineta today asked the agency’s Inspector General to join with the Department’s Office of Aviation and International Affairs and Office of General Counsel to investigate travel disruptions that impacted US Airways and Comair passengers over the 2004 holiday travel weekend.
The Secretary stressed, “It is important that the Department and the traveling public understand what happened, why it happened, and whether the carriers properly planned for the holiday travel period and responded appropriately to consumer needs in the aftermath.” END
A copy of the Secretary’s memorandum to the Inspector General is available in PDF form on the U.S. Department of Transportation website.
Monday, December 27, 2004
Secretary Mineta Launches Holiday Air Travel Disruption Investigation
Powell South Asia Earthquake and Tsunami
Briefing With Assistant Administrator for United States Agency for International Development Ed Fox. FULL STREAMING VIDEO from c-span
While the loss of any single life is precious, I would also like to take this opportunity to extend particular condolences for the tragic death of Khun Bhumi Jensen, who is the son of Princess Ubolratana and grandson of His Majesty King Bhumipol of Thailand. We extend condolences to the royal family.
The United States has been following this situation from the very beginning. Our embassies are working in the affected areas to assist contacting families and others, U.S. citizens who are unaccounted for. At the moment, we know of eight Americans who have died and there are several hundred who are not accounted for yet. It just means we haven't been able to reach out and get contact with them. It does not imply that they are necessarily injured or in any way a casualty.
For family members seeking information about one of their loved ones, they can contact the hotline number that we have, 1-888-407-4747. You can also go to the State Department website to get information about each of the countries involved, and that's state.gov.
Our ambassadors in Sri Lanka, the Maldives, India and Indonesia have provided a total of $400,000 in immediate assistance and we are in discussions with the International Committee of the Red Cross about providing $4 million in the course of the day of the $6.6 million appeal that they have made. We are also examining what other assets might be needed and we'll do everything we can to help.
The United States Pacific Command is also involved in this, of course. They have dispatched some P3 patrol aircraft to the region and the Pacific fleet is examining what else they might be able to do to help in this situation. I have also talked in the course of the last 18 hours to my counterparts in Sri Lanka, Indonesia, Thailand, India and Malaysia, to reinforce our offers of assistance.
USAID and other elements of the United States Government have been deeply involved. What I'd like to do now, to give you more details with respect to the support we are providing, is to introduce Mr. Ed Fox, who is the Assistant Administrator of the U.S. Agency for International Development. He'll give you some details and then I will return to the podium for questions and one or two other issues.
Ed. FULL TEXT Powell South Asia Earthquake and Tsunami